Grenache is a grape grown throughout Mediterranean France and Spain to
make wines which show sweet warm fruit with spicy notes. In the Rhône, it is one of the
component grapes used in Chateauneuf du Pape. It is being grown more and more
in South Africa where our climate and terroir suit it well and we are producing
some very interesting and attractive wines from it. Neil Ellis have been
growing this for many years and we were very intrigued to be invited to take
part in a vertical tasting of their Piekenierskloof Grenache dating from 2004
held, appropriately, on International Grenache day.
Currently,
these wines are made by Warren Ellis, who took over winemaking from his father
Neil in 2006. Warren is also the Viticulturist. We started with the current
vintage 2012 and while these newer wines are fresh and fruity they show great
future potential. As we got further back
to the older wines you could see the character of the wine maturing and getting
more elegant and full with softening tannins. They do clearly show their
terroir and reflect the climate of the year they were made. We enjoyed tasting these wines very much. We
also did a small tasting of their Rodanos red blend where the base wine is
shiraz but the other wines may vary every year.
In 2010 and 2011 Grenache was the blending wine, in 2012 it was Cinsaut.
Many of these wines are very food friendly.
The wines we tasted
Neil Ellis welcomes us to the farm
A good way to display wine in a tasting room
Sommeliers, trade and media assemble for the tasting
Neil tells us the history of the farm and the
wines
Warren Ellis tells us about growing Grenache. Why
does he make it? He loves the grape
The very friendly Boerbul who rules the farm
A rapt audience learns about making Grenache
A very necessary log fire as the day was rather
dank. grim and wet
Two braais being prepared for lunch – in the rain,
so under canvas
Lots of seasoning for the lamb chops cooking on
the coals
Neil adds some more, while Winnie Bowman records
the moment
The science of braaiing
Neil with Winnie and Mel Minnaar
A view from the farm under the rainy Jonkershoek mountain.
The vines have only just started bud break
Tatiana Marcetteaux, Sommelier at The Taj hotel in Cape Town
Mmmm, lamb chops nearing completion
and being transferred onto the platters
Looking crisp, juicy and perfectly cooked
Don’t feed the hound! But he gets to lick the
lamb juices off the grid and finds every last bit of flavour
The chops were served with a good mixed salad and
roast potatoes
And were followed by a cheeseboard and panforte to
be shared by couples
© John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2014
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